Saudi artists showcase work at 38th Jerash Festival in Jordan

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Updated 26 July 2024
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Saudi artists showcase work at 38th Jerash Festival in Jordan

  • Music, art, theater, traditional crafts on display by Kingdom’s Culture Ministry

RIYADH: Several Saudi Arabia artists, photographers, artisans and musicians will be showcasing their work at the 38th Jerash Festival in Jordan which began on July 24 and ends Aug. 3.

The Ministry of Culture’s three agencies plan to have a variety of activities reflecting the artistic diversity of the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

The Theater and Performing Arts Commission will present groups from various Saudi Arabia regions on the festival’s main stage, showcasing traditional arts including Al-Hajini, Al-Dahha, Al-Samri, Al-Khamari, and Al-Rabash.

The Heritage Commission will host a special pavilion for the “Year of the Camel 2024,” a digital photo exhibition of prominent UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Saudi Arabia, and display the Kingdom’s architectural heritage through virtual reality.

The pavilion will also display traditional crafts by Saudi Arabia artisans, including palm crafts, pottery, Asiri weaving, bead making, jewelry manufacture, and woodwork.

The Music Commission will have a pavilion at the international exhibition site and will introduce Saudi Arabia’s “Turooq” initiative. This is aimed at preserving the country’s traditional music.

The commission will also have a show titled “Turooq Meets the World” at the festival’s Sound and Light Theater, featuring a fusion of music from Saudi Arabia and other nations.

The Ministry of Culture’s participation is in line with the country’s National Cultural Strategy and Vision 2030.


King Abdulaziz Foundation reveals rare images from king’s 1916 Basra visit

Updated 20 December 2025
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King Abdulaziz Foundation reveals rare images from king’s 1916 Basra visit

  • Photographs form part of a wider collection documented by British photographer Gertrude Bell

RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Foundation has revealed archival photographs documenting King Abdulaziz’s tour of the outskirts of Basra in 1916, a visit that came at an early stage of his efforts to build regional relationships.

One of the photographs, taken by British photographer Gertrude Bell, shows King Abdulaziz standing with his men in the Basra desert, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The image reflects his early political and diplomatic engagement in the region, as he sought to strengthen ties with neighboring areas and engage with the wider Arab and international community, SPA added.

The photograph forms part of a wider collection documented by Bell, which records key developments and transformations across the Arabian Peninsula during the early 20th century.

The Basra visit holds particular significance in King Abdulaziz’s journey as a unifying leader. 

Rather than crossing borders in pursuit of power, the visit reflected an approach focused on stability, cooperation and long-term regional harmony, laying the groundwork for a leadership style defined by pragmatism and openness, SPA said.